KANSAS CITY, Mo.  With 16 rookies making up the youngest team in the NFL, the rebuilding Kansas City Chiefs knew this would be a bite-the-bullet, grin-and-bear-it kind of year.

They didn't know they'd be grabbing kickers and quarterbacks off the street, benching their highest-paid player and cooperating in a criminal investigation.

They didn't know they'd be blown out in three of their first six games and go into the Tennessee Titans' record book for giving up 320 yards rushing.

Only now is everyone beginning to realize that 2008 could turn into nothing less than the sorriest season in franchise history.

"This is horrible," said safety Jonathan Pollard.

In a 34-10 loss last week to the Titans, their No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks both suffered season-ending injuries, leaving Tyler Thigpen to face Brett Favre and the New York Jets this week.

The first player from tiny Coastal Carolina ever taken in the NFL draft, Thigpen threw three interceptions last month in his only NFL start. He can barely remember what he was doing when Favre came into the league.

"I think I was eight years old at the time," he said.

The Chiefs hurriedly signed Quinn Gray, a career backup who was released in August by Indianapolis. It'll be at least a couple of weeks before he's ready to do anything but hold a clipboard, but no matter who is under center, the shaken Chiefs would still be huge underdogs.

While winning only one of their first six games, KC has scored fewer points (75), recorded fewer sacks (3) and given up more yards rushing (1,243) than any other team in the league.

Remember how coaches always talk about the importance of getting off to a good start? In the first quarter of their first six games, the Chiefs are averaging one point. Only twice in their first six games have they scored a first-half touchdown.

Nobody blamed Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez a couple of weeks ago when he asked to be traded. But he wasn't, so now he and the general manager are not speaking.

If they were, they could discuss the mounting legal troubles of two-time Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson. Just 14 months after he signed a huge contract with a team-record $19 million guaranteed, Johnson's future with the Chiefs and possibly the NFL could be in doubt.

For the fourth time in five years, Johnson is accused of assaulting a woman. He faces a December court date for a simple assault charge involving an incident last February. And now police and the league are investigating another woman's allegation that Johnson spat on her and made threats against her boyfriend in a fracas in a local nightspot two weeks ago.

Johnson, benched for a second week in a row for violating team rules, looked shaken this week when he issued a public apology. He could be facing a lengthy and very expensive suspension.

In their only victory in the last 15 games, Johnson ran for 198 yards. Without him last week against the Titans, the Chiefs managed a paltry 58 yards on the ground.

But perhaps it doesn't matter. Even with Johnson in their previous game, a 34-0 shutout at Carolina, they rushed for an even more paltry 35.

Fans were in a foul mood to begin with following last year's 4-12 campaign, and they have reacted predictably and severely, demanding that team president Carl Peterson be fired and coach Herm Edwards be run out of town.

Season tickets used to be so precious at always-packed Arrowhead Stadium, couples would haggle over custody of them in divorce settlements. Now brokers won't even pay face value.

If something happens to Thigpen this week, the Chiefs will be quarterbacked by Ingle Martin, whose resume is even thinner than the man from Coastal Carolina.

And with the quarterback-cursed Edwards in charge, Martin would be wise to consider himself on the clock.

In his past four seasons, his last as head coach of the Jets and first three with the Chiefs, Edwards has started no fewer than seven different quarterbacks.

"It's my cross to bear," he said.

"The hard part for us is that we're in a rebuilding situation, so there's really not a lot of strength right now. I can say I'm going to lean on my defense. But I can't do that right now because it's not ready to be leaned on. I can say I'm leaning on my running game. But I can't lean on my running game right now.

"You've just got to develop your players. Eventually it all meshes and you get through the storm."

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